MP enforce follow-on against leaders Punjab

With four outright wins, including two by an innings, from six games, Punjab have been the team of the season. And hosts Madhya Pradesh made a huge statement by making them follow-on in Gwalior. Quick bowlers Ishwar Pandey, second on the wicket-taking charts this season, and Anand Rajan picked up seven wickets between them to skittle Punjab for just 148. Yuvraj Singh, back to the domestic circuit after being left out of the Test squad, and the captain Mandeep Singh managed thirties but that was as good as it got for Punjab. They lost wickets regularly and soon, MP had a sizeable lead of 175. Devendra Bundela asked Punjab to have a bat again, and their openers ensured there was no further damage till stumps. Bundela had scored his 22nd first-class century earlier in the day. However, MP had unraveled from a strong 297 for 5 to be dismissed for 323, with India Under-19 quick bowler and this season's leading wicket-taker Sandeep Sharma taking 5 for 92.

Mumbai ended a day of absolute dominance in Rajkot by removing two Saurashtra batsmen cheaply after posting a mammoth 606 for 5 declared. Wicketkeeper-opener Aditya Tare converted his maiden first-class hundred into a double, and Rohit Sharma hit his third century of the season. The partnership between the duo was worth 278. Tare faced 417 deliveries in making 222 and hit 32 boundaries. Rohit's 166 took 254 balls and contained 16 fours and four sixes. Both batsmen were put down by the wicketkeeper Sagar Jogiyani off the bowling of Jaydev Unadkat. Rohit's innings came after a double-century in the previous game against Punjab. Abhishek Nayar added yet another fifty to his string of consistent performances this season.

After 18 wickets had fallen on the Eden Gardens green top on day one, nine more went down on day two, leaving Hyderabad 171 runs ahead with three batsmen left. The visitors' captain Akshath Reddy fell one short of fifty while Ashish Reddy made 42 down the order. No other Hyderabad batsman could do anything of note as the Bengal fast bowler Shami Ahmed took 4 for 68. Arindam Das, the Bengal opener, had earlier made 36 of the 37 runs the hosts scored today. Resuming on 79 for 8, Bengal went just past Hyderabad's 115 before Das became Anwar Ahmed's fifth victim for 73.

The defending champions, Rajasthan, were in trouble against Railways in Bhubaneshwar, having lost three batsmen cheaply in pursuit of the hosts' 405. Railways began the day on 239 for 4 and though Parag Madkaikar added just 16 to his overnight 70, the lower order contributed to stretch the innings past 400. Wicketkeeper Mahesh Rawat made a fifty while three others chipped in with twenties. Rajasthan had a cautious start before losing Sourabh Chouhan to veteran allrounder Sanjay Bangar in the 16th over. Medium-pacer Anureet Singh bowled Robin Bist and Puneet Yadav in the 24th over to leave Rajasthan tottering on 45 for 3. Rajasthan captain Vineet Saxena and Ashok Menaria were the men battling it out.